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Neighborhood Trust moves into new digs in Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT -- One year after breaking ground on its mixed-use development, Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust has moved its Fairfield Avenue office to the new building at 570 State St.

The five-story building houses the agency on the ground floor and 30 mixed-income apartments above. "We expect to be fully leased up by June 1," said Elizabeth Torres, the nonprofit's executive director.

Because of its location on the edges of the city's downtown, South End and West Side neighborhoods, the building was named Gateway at 570.

"We are so happy to be in this space," Torres said. "It's going to allow us to expand the services we offer to the community. We went from sharing 4,000 square feet to moving into our office which has 6,000 square feet."

The additional space at its new location will allow the nonprofit to add five new positions to its 10-person staff, including a receptionist for the office and a building maintenance supervisor. BNT has also now added foreclosure prevention and loss mitigation counseling to its list of services.

The nonprofit will have a formal dedication for its building on June 16 at 11:30 a.m.

BNT's next project, for which it received $8.7 million in state funds last month, is a three-story supportive and affordable housing complex on Stratford Avenue. Torres said they are hoping to attract a grocery store -- a much needed service in the East End -- for the building's ground floor.

That project will have 30 apartments, with some units set aside for veterans ineligible for a federal housing program and youth aging out of foster care.